Mental health literacy in korean older adults: A cross‐sectional survey

Abstract

Introduction Korea is experiencing rapid population ageing, spurring an increased need for mental health services for the elderly. Approximately one-third of Korean older adults experience depressive symptoms, and Korea has the highest elder suicide rate among 34 developed nations. Mental health literacy is an important component of promoting mental health, yet studies on the concept have been conducted in few countries. Aim This study examines the level of mental health literacy among Korean older adults and identifies factors associated with their mental health literacy. Method A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 596 community-dwelling Korean adults aged 65 and older. Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use framed the study. Results Overall, participants displayed low levels of mental health literacy. They had difficulty recognizing their mental health issues and had limited knowledge about self-help strategies. Mental health literacy was positively associated with education, social support, social network and health status. Discussion and Implications This study highlights a need for efforts to increase mental health literacy among Korean older adults. Strategies that have the potential to empower this population to proactively attend to their mental health include community-based education and national mental health campaigns.

Is health literacy associated with mental health literacy? Findings from Mental Health Literacy Scale

“…Social support was the second strongest predictor of MHL. This is consistent with other literature showing that social support positively impacted mental health, 49 was significantly related to MHL among older Korean adults, 50 and was an important factor besides biological and psychological aspects. 51 This study also showed that those who participate in a social group generally have higher MHL.…”

Mental health and related influencing factors among rural elderly in 14 poverty state counties of Chongqing, Southwest China: a cross-sectional study

“…As the most populous developing country, China has the largest elderly population in the world. Due to the increase of chronic diseases, decrease in physical function, cognitive impairment, loneliness, and widowhood, old people are more likely to have mental health problems [4][5][6][7][8]. Approximately 15% of adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental disorder, the most common of which are depression and anxiety, and around a quarter of deaths from self-harm are among people aged 60 or above [9].…”

Older Adults’ Perceptions of Psychotherapy in Cyprus

“…This study highlights a need for efforts to increase mental health literacy among Cypriot older adults. Research has indicated that older adults exhibit poorer mental health literacy than younger adults, including less accuracy at identifying symptoms of mental disorders, and endorsing fewer sources of treatment for a mental disorder [22,24,25]. It has been proposed that older adults in closer proximity to someone with a mental disorder are more likely to have better mental health literacy, a finding that has the potential to inform mental health education and promotion strategies in this population [22].…”

“…Programs that use older adult peer educators/supporters, such as the "older people's champions" of the Healthy Passport programme in England, might make the programs more effective. Mental health campaigns, such as Australia's beyondblue, might increase mental health literacy of older adults [18,25]. In Cyprus, where stigma around mental illness holds a long tradition and persists among the elderly, it is important to use strategies that have the potential to empower this population to proactively attend to their mental health including community-based education and national mental health campaigns.…”

“…Psychologists and other health professionals also need to be mindful of how they describe psychological concepts and treatment as older adults may not understand what they are being told or may be afraid of what treatment involves based on historical context[18,22,25].It is important to acknowledge that this study was a small, qualitative study of 25 older adults.Consequently it is not possible to generalize the findings to all older adults in Cyprus. Furthermore, a positivity bias may have occurred due to the fact that the sample was self-selected and therefore the likelihood of recruiting participants with ambivalent or negative views about psychotherapy may have been lower.…”